DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum NBA Offseason continued

Albert Nahmad ‏@AlbertRandom1 12m12 minutes ago
Albert Nahmad Retweeted Marc Stein
Nuggets have up to $27.5M to offer. Heat have $18.9M (as of now).

NBA legend, Warriors exec Jerry West makes case to Kevin Durant
7:12 PM ET
Chris Broussard
ESPN Senior Writer
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In an effort to recruit Kevin Durant to the Golden State Warriors, NBA legend Jerry West spoke with Durant by telephone Saturday, league sources told ESPN.com.

West, a member of the Warriors' Executive Board, did not try to tell Durant on which team to choose. West did, however, share several reasons why he believes Golden State would be the ideal fit for the superstar forward.


NBA legend Jerry West, who is a Warriors' Executive Board member, called Kevin Durant and shared several reasons why he believes Golden State would be the ideal fit for the superstar forward. Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images
West spoke to Durant from the perspective of an all-time great player who kept falling short of winning an NBA championship. While West won a title with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1972, he lost his first 7 trips to the NBA Finals and finished 1-8 in the Finals overall. West, 78, told Durant those losses still eat at him to this day, according to sources.

West also told Durant that playing alongside the Warriors' star trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green would make it much easier on him. West opined that in Oklahoma City, most of Durant's shot attempts are difficult and contested.

He told Durant, a career 27.4 point scorer, that his points would come much easier in Golden State, suggesting it would take fewer shots to score the same amount of points he always has.

EDITOR'S PICKS

Sources: KD's pick coming late Sun., early Mon.
Kevin Durant has told the clubs he met with in The Hamptons that his free-agency decision will be made by Monday, league sources told ESPN.

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Finally, West pointed out to Durant how he believes his overall game is overlooked in Oklahoma City. While Durant is known as one of the greatest scorers of all-time, he does not receive much credit for his rebounding - he led the Thunder with 8.2 boards per game last season - and defense.

West said if Durant goes to a team with other great scorers and wins championships, the other parts of his game will receive recognition and he'll be known as a great all-around player rather than just a great scorer.

West, one of the greatest executives in league history, has a well-earned reputation as a top recruiter. In 1996, he convinced Shaquille O'Neal to leave Orlando to join the Lakers, where O'Neal won three championships. West has also served on occasion as a sounding board for LeBron James.

Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News first reported that West spoke with Durant.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/167417...nt-joining-team

Thanks for posting updates. :-)

it helps me remember stuff myself

Marc J. Spears ‏@MarcJSpearsESPN 6m6 minutes ago
Blazers free agent guard Allen Crabbe has free agent meeting set up on Tuesday, a source told @TheUndefeated.

ex cav draft pick IIRC

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 9m9 minutes ago
The Kings have a deal with Matt Barnes, sources say

Albert Nahmad ‏@AlbertRandom1 1h1 hour ago
Nets reach 4-yr, $70M offer sheet with Allen Crabbe, which Blazers will not match, per @IAmDPick. Nets have $8.4M room left.

jesus

Sam Amick ‏@sam_amick 31s31 seconds ago
Kevin Durant is now expected to make his decision tomorrow, I'm told.

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojVerticalNBA 1h1 hour ago
Sources: Brooklyn's Kenny Atkinson is hiring Cavaliers assistant Brett Brielmaier as the final member of his new Nets coaching staff.

USA TODAY Sports NBA ‏@usatodaynba 4m4 minutes ago
One. More. Day.

Kevin Durant expected to make his long-awaited decision tomorrow, according to @Sam_Amick

Royce Young ‏@royceyoung 60m60 minutes ago
From what I understand, it's Thunder versus Warriors for Durant.

Royce Young ‏@royceyoung 1h1 hour ago
Durant leaving, though, especially for the Warriors. Man, that would be a dark day around here.

Royce Young ‏@royceyoung 52m52 minutes ago
A phrase Durant has repeated often during his time in Oklahoma City: "I'm no frontrunner."

For everyone saying that big name players should take less so that the team can sign better players around them..

Look at Dirk.

Boy oh boy. Where will Durant land!!!! I hope he stays in OKC.

If Durant re-signs with OKC and then They sign Pau Gasol, OKC could be pretty formidable. Especially with the way Adams(?) came on late.

I honestly think the way LeBron was perceived after leaving Cleveland is at least something he's considering.

He doesn't want to be the "bad guy", leaving his team for "greener pastures"

Yeah I hope he stays in OKC as well. It would be a feel good story and it's best from the Cavs perspective as well IMO. Him signing in Boston would make the East tougher and Golden State landing Durant would be ridiculous. IIRC they would only have to let go Barnes, Ezeli, and Iguodala. Barnes signed a max offer sheet from Dallas and I don't think he's worth anywhere near that anyway.

I think Durant will stay. But I also think he'd probably rather leave (Boston and Golden State have to be very tempting).

It's a PR nightmare if he leaves though IMO

The Vertical ‏@TheVertical 5h5 hours ago
Sources: Dwight Powell agrees to $37M deal to return to Mavs. @ShamsCharania report on @TheVertical.

Shams Charania ‏@ShamsCharania 2h2 hours ago
Vertical Sources: Free agent Tarik Black has agreed to a two-year, $12.85 million deal to re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 5h5 hours ago
Deron Williams and the Mavericks have come to terms on a deal, according to league sources

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 5h5 hours ago
Strongest prediction we've got in the midnight hour: Pau Gasol heads to San Antonio if Durant, as expected, chooses Thunder or Warriors

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 7h7 hours ago
The Mavericks and Deron Williams, sources say, have come to terms on a one-year deal for $10 million

I am more than willing to sign with the Cavs for what Delly was getting paid last season.

Are you looking for an agent? I know a good one...

Your hired.

15%, or is that negotiable? ...

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 51m51 minutes ago
Was told this morning that Kevin Durant “is announcing (his decision) on The Players' Tribune. He is an owner, so makes sense.”

Chris Broussard ‏@Chris_Broussard 29m29 minutes ago
San Antonio, Toronto, Portland all battling for Pau Gasol. SA & Toronto currently the frontrunners, source says. Blazers not out of it tho

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 41m41 minutes ago
Kevin Durant is planning to inform all teams he met with about his decision this morning, per source.

KD chose OKC

Adrian Wojnarowski ‏@WojVerticalNBA 3m3 minutes ago
Kevin Durant will sign with Golden State, he writes on the Players Tribune.
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http://www.theplayerstribune.com/kevin-durant-nba-free-agency-announcement/

Signing KD means they could lose.

Barnes
AI
Bogut
Barbosa

I honestly don't know how much "better" this makes them..

I thought they could do it by losing Barnes (already gone, IMO), Ezeli, and Iguodala. Durant makes that team much better IMO. Curry, Thompson, Durant, Green, Bogut, my goodness. They can round out the bench with good players willing to take a steep pay cut to win a ring.

That has to be a kick in the gut to Thunder fans though. Imagine being up 3-1 vs the Warriors, losing what ultimately was a heartbreaking (and at times, dirty) series and then lose Durant to them in free agency. Ouch.

By "good players" you mean "old" right?

...and Westbrook is gone in 12 months too.

I wonder if they would trade him now knowing they can't contend and they'll be in full rebuild mode anyway.

Just another reason hate the current culture of the NBA.
So much money to be made even if you stay with the team that drafted
You.
Yet players hop the fence for greener pastures they percieve.
To see a player remain with his original team is a rare thing.
Props to Bryant Bird Duncan Johnson Thomas Derozan Erving

Some of those old players are actually pretty good. Think Ray Allen to the Heat or David West to the Spurs although let's be real, Barnes and Ezeli were pretty awful in the Finals. Their production shouldn't be too hard to replace whether it be in free agency, the draft, or trades. Getting Durant is a massive coup for them.

jesus

Wade to Cleveland now?